Hon. Darren West asks about the status, release plans, completion date, and cost of a two-year dung beetle study. The Minister provides updates on the study's progress, release plans, and costs.

AnsweredQoN 744Legislative Council
Asked
29 October 2013
Portfolio
Agriculture and Food

QuestionView source ↗

DUNG
BEETLE STUDY
744. Hon DARREN WEST to the
Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I hope that the answer to this question will contain at least
one pun! I refer to the two-year dung beetle study announced by the previous
Minister for Agriculture and Food in November 2011 and commenced in early 2012.
(1) What is the current status of the study?
(2) Have any dung beetles been released as part of the study;
and, if so, where?
(3) If no to (2), when will dung beetles be released and
where?
(4) If the study has been completed, when will the results be
made public?
(5) What has been the total cost of the study to date?
The PRESIDENT : The minister for dung beetles!
Hon Ken Travers : There are flies on you!

AnswerView source ↗

Yes, there are!
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this
question.
(1) The
Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia study is progressing very
well and is providing a much better understanding of existing dung beetle
ecology. It is working towards identifying optimal release sites for the two
new species.
(2) No.
(3) The rearing
of the two new species is progressing well in Canberra and releases are planned
for late 2014. Release locations will be confirmed when the DAFWA study is
complete.
(4) The study will be completed in
February 2014 and a report presented soon after.
(5) Approximately $260 000.

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